Way grinding machine



July 24, 1951 E. L. M FERREN WAY GRINDING MACHINE l8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 16, 1947 NvEN-ro Edge r- Lee c. F'erv'em mam/ (flTTORNE-Y- July 24, 1951 E. L. M FERREN WAY GRINDING MACHINE l8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 16, 1947 NVENTOPw adgar- Lee QneF 'r-r'eq July 24, 1951 E. L. MCFERREN WAY GRINDING MACHINE 18 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 16, 1947 July 24, 1951 L McFERREN 2,561,936

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July 24, 151 E. L. M F'ERREN WAY GRINDING MACHINE 18 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Sept. 16, 1947 July 24, 1951 MCFERREN 2,561,936

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July 24, 1951 E. L. M FERREN WAY GRINDING MACHINE l8 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Sept. 16, 1947 July 24, 1951 E. L. MOFERREN WAY GRINDING MACHINE v Filed Sept. 16, 1947 heet 17 July 24, 1951 MOFERREN 2,561,936

WAY GRINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 16, 1947 v l8 Sheets-Sheet l8 Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI C 2,561,936 WAY GRINDING momma Edgar Lee McFerren, Fond du Lac, Wis., assignor to Giddings & Lewis Machine Tool Company, Fond du Lac, Wis., a corporation oi Wisconsin Application September 16, 1947, Serial No. 774,366

16 Claims. 1

The invention relates generally to improvements in machine tools and more particularly to machine tools for machining long surfaces such as ways on large machine structures.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above general character capable of finishing the ways of large machine structures economically and with an exceptionally high degree of precision.

Another object is to provide novel variable speed drive and control means for machine toolheads which permits the use of A. C. electric driving motors in the heads and thus facilitates accurate balancing of the same and reduces maintenance costs.

Another object is to provide a machine tool having a vertically movable toolhead supporting structure adjustable by means of a screw and nut mechanism and having novel pressure fluid-actuated means for counterbalancing the weight of the structure so as to relieve the adjusting means of unnecessary strains.

Another object is to provide improved manually operable feed mechanisms for the movable elements of a machine tool.

Still another object is to provide improved mechanism for effecting adjustment of a machine toolhead from a remote point.

A further object is to provide an improved dust collecting system for large machine tools which avoids the use of long flexible conduits for connecting the suction apparatus of the collector with the reciprocating machine part.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment illustrated and described in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a way finishing machine embodying the features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine showing the finishing toolheads positioned over the worktable.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine showing the roughing toolhead positioned over the worktable.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the machine with parts broken away to show the details of the toolhead supporting structure.

Fig. 4a is a sectional view of the toolhead taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line 411-411 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken in a plane substantially on the line l-l of Fig. '1.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken in a vertical plane on the line 5-! of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken longitudinally of the machine in a vertical plane substantially on the line 'l-l of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line 5-8 of Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line 5-9 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in a horizontal plane substantially on the line |0-lll of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10a is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line Illa-Illa of Fig. 10 showing details of the dog clamp.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the column and toolhead supporting structure taken in a horizontal plane substantially on the line ll-ll of Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view through the column and toolhead supporting structure taken in a horizontal plane substantially on the line I2-I2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view through the toolhead supporting structure taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line l3--I3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 14 is a sectional view taken in a horizontal plane substantially on the line ll-ll of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view through the toolhead supporting structure taken in a horizontal plane substantially on the line l5l5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken in a horizontal plane substantially on the line l6l6 of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a sectional view taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line l'l-Il of Fig. 4.

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line Iii-l8 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is a sectional view taken in a horizontal plane substantially on the line Iii-49 of Fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a sectional view taken in a vertical plane substantially on the line 2020 of Fig. 17.

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line ll-2| of Fig. 18.

Fig. 22 is a diagrammatic view showing the controls for the toolheads, the columns and the frequency changers.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understod that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

By way oi illustration, the invention has been shown as incorporated in a machine for finishing the ways of large machine tool structures, in this instance by grinding operations. As herein .shown, the machine comprises a floor level work supporting table 1 arranged at one side of an elongated bed -2 upon which a carriage or saddle 3 is supported for reciprocation in a plane parallel to the work supporting surface of the table. The saddle 3 serves as a support for the tools required to perform the finishing operations on the work, the tools being traversed over the work by reciprocation of the saddle.

As the exemplary machine is intended for grinding operations, it is equipped with grinding wheels preferably carried by motorized toolheads. To enable the work to be both rough and finish ground in a single setting, the machine is equipped withseparate toolheads for performing such operations, in this instance, a single heavyduty toolhead 4 for rough grinding and a pair of precision toolheads 5 and 8 for finish grinding. The toolheads are adapted to be supported at opposite ends of a crossrail structure I which in turn is mounted on the saddle 3 so that it may be rotated about a vertical axis to position either the roughing toolhead 4 or the finishing toolheads 5 and 8 above the worktable I as required.

Provision is also made for adjusting the rail structure 1 vertically so as to properly associate the toolheads with the work, and each toolhead is individually adjustable to regulate the depth of cut, and, in the case of the toolheads 5 and 6, to determine the angle of the finished surface.

To facilitate accurate balancing of the toolheads and to reduce upkeep costs, the heads are powered by A. 0. electric motors. Maximum flexibility is attained and the operating range of the machine is materially increased by providing variable speed A. C. motors for the finishing toolheads 5 and 8, with individual variable speed generators 9 and In (Fig. '7) supplying power for the respective motors. The generators 9 and in are separately driven through variable speed drives from a common A. C. motor M which additionally supplies power for reciprocating the saddle 3 In the exemplary machine, the motor M and the generators 9 and H) are mounted on the saddle 3 and enclosed in a suitable housing ll.

Suitable adjusting mechanisms are provided for setting up the machine and for regulating its actions when in operation. These mechanisms are particularly designed for ease and accuracy of operation, and are located for convenient access by the machine attendant, whereby the time and eifort required in the initial set up of the machine is materially-reduced and its control and operation are greatly facilitated.

Provision is also made for collecting the dust and grinding chips produced in the operation of the machine, thus assisting materially in maintaining the accuracy of the finished surfaces. The dust collecting system includes a suction type dust collector D, which may be of any preferred construction, having suitable connections with hoods l2 enclosing the grinding wheels of each of the toolheads. To avoid the use of long flexible conduits, the dust collector D is mounted on a wheeled truck T movable along a track 13 in timed relation to the reciprocation of the saddle 3. Such movements of the dust collector are effected, in this instance, by a rigid arm I extending between the dust collector and the saddle. Operative connections between the dust collector and the hoods l2 are provided by a main duct I5 extending from the collector to the rail structure I. Branch conduits l5a, 15b and 15c on and in the rail structure connect the main conduit with the hoods for the respective toolheads.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the bed 2 is preferably of rigid box-type construction and is securely anchored to a subbase I6 (Figs. 1, 4 and 6) as by hold-down bolts H. The subbase I6, which may be conveniently made in sections bolted together to provide a continuous member extending the full length of the bed, is set on and grouted to a concrete foundation. Positioning screws 18 (Fig. 6) coacting with the sides of the bed 2 and leveling screws IBa coacting through wedges i9 are provided on the subbase for lining up the bed thereon.

To facilitate placement of the work, the table I is preferably constructed in the form of a floor plate adapted to be mounted on the machine foundation at one side of the subbase l6 and at substantially the same level, that is, at door level. T-slots 2|! are provided in the upper face of the table for securing the work in place.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 6 of the drawings, the bed 2 is formed on the top with spaced parallel longitudinal ways 25 and 26 for supporting and guiding the saddle 3. In the exemplary machine, the ways 25 and 2B are formed along the marginal edges of the bed 2, one way 25 be, ing a guiding V-way, preferably inverted, and the other way 26 being a flat supporting way. The top surface of the bed and particularly the ways 25 and 26 are enclosed and protected against the entry of grinding chips or other foreign matter by suitable way guards 28. To enable them to perform their enclosing function in all positions of the saddle 3, the guards are made in the form of accordion bellows attached at opposite ends to the ends of the bed 2 and saddle 3. Brackets 29 extending longitudinally of the bed and projecting laterally at opposite sides thereof provide sliding support for the way guards.

As herein shown, the saddle 3 comprises a generally rectangular casting of heavy box-type construction. Ways 30 and 3| on its underside are complemental to the ways 25 and 2G and coact with the latter to support and guide the saddle in its reciprocation on the bed 2.

For supporting the rail structure I, the saddle 3 has at one end an upright column 35 (Figs. 11 and 12), herein shown as an elongated casting oi. rectangular cross section having a circular base plate 36 secured to its lower end. To permit rotation of the tool supporting rail structure] so that either the roughing or finishing toolheads may be swung over the worktable, the base plate 36 is mounted in a swivel base 38 bolted to or otherwise rigidly secured to the saddle 3. The base 38 is formed with an upwardly opening recess 39 for the reception of the plate 38 and an annular bearing surface 40 is provided within the recess for coaction with a complemental bearing surface ll formed on the underside of the plate. An annular retaining ring 42 bolted to the swivel base and overlying the marginal edge portion of the plate retains the latter in place. A locking pin 43 (Fig. 12) engageable in either of two circumferentially spaced notches in the base plate 35 holds the column in either of its two adjusted positions. 

